CODE: ANTI-MANA
by Desdemona Everhart
Summary: "For, if you are willing to kill a thousand; I shall be willing to kill a million. For, if this battle for power shall become a battle of wills, I shall win. You never stood a chance." -Queen Eve of Altera. Pairings: ElsAi AddAra AddEve Elesis x Aren friendship. Reven.


**Prologue- CODE: ANTI-MANA**

Sipping tea from a porcelain tea cup, Eve looked out the window of the airship, surveying the burning earth with a grim expression.

"My lady," said Ophelia, her trusted maid, with a bow. The delicate NASOD Queen shifted her gaze towards the amber-eyed servant.

"Yes?" she replied in a crisp voice.

Ophelia stiffened, her thin lips all but disappearing from her face as she pressed them together. "Captain Ferdinand is requesting that we leave the area. Oberon from the Aegis Lambda, has reported sightings of Thule-controlled elementals in the airspace above Velder. It is dangerous to be here, he says."

Eve lips twisted upwards in a humorless smile. She folded her hands and set them on her lap. "Request denied."

The maid stiffened, betraying her shock.

Seeing it, Eve broadened her smirk and adjusted the golden bangles on her wrists. "We will not be afraid of Thule," she said. "The tides of power are shifting. No longer, will mages decide the fate of Elrios. No longer, will they safeguard their knowledge with a jealous intensity. No longer, will they keep humanity and NASOD-kind in the dark." She stood up, her delicate silver tiara gleaming in the ship's harsh fluorescent lights.

"It is our time to shine."

Ophelia gave Eve a brief nod and sank into a low bow. "Very well," she replied. "I shall inform Captain Ferdinand."

Eve nodded and took her seat, taking a sip from her tea cup. "Please do."

"I daresay..." Ophelia trailed warily, "he won't be pleased."

Eve snorted. "I don't care if he is pleased or not. I care that he does his job, and that he does it well."

"Very well," said Ophelia, turning around and walking out of the compartment.

Once the maid had left, Eve let out a satisfied sigh and tucked an alabaster strand of hair behind her ears. "How long will you oppose me, Noah?" she mused. "How many people are you willing to kill?" She chuckled.

"For, if you are willing to kill a thousand; I shall be willing to kill a million. For, if this battle for power shall become a battle of wills, I shall win. You never stood a chance."

**CODE: ANTI-MANA**

The Council's atmosphere was one of tension. Solemn men, dressed in somber colors sat at the round table, hands folded and lips pursed together.

Elesis was all nerves. Several times, she had to tell herself how to breathe. Chewing on the inside of her cheek, she scanned the room through narrowed crimson eyes. Next to her, Add Desdemona, the Alterian diplomat, leaned back in his chair, heaving a loud yawn.

Elesis wished he'd stop. She wished he'd go away. She wished that Raven Braith- the commander of the Crow Armies- hadn't went missing. She wished that Elsword would tell her what was bothering him. She had a pretty good idea, but it's not as if she was psychic. She wished for a lot of things.

Namely, not to be here in this room. She knew what they were about to discuss, and she didn't like it one bit.

"Now," said Colonel Edan, clearing his throat as he stood up. All eyes turned towards the scarlet-clad Colonel. "We are here to discuss something important." His amber eyes, shot with rust-red streaks swept across the room.

It took all the willpower Elesis had to not squirm under the intensity of Edan's gaze.

"We are here to discuss our future…" he other Council members nodded in agreement.

"We are here to decide where our loyalties will lay."

An iron ball slammed into the bottom of Elesis's stomach at the finality of Edan's words.

To go against Thule- Rurensia's Mage Guild and the most powerful organization in the world- or side with the rebellious duchy of Altera, who dared call itself a kingdom.

Elesis shot Add a withering glare. The slim, white-haired male gave her a smug smirk, making her blood boil.

_Asshole_… Elesis thought sourly to herself. That prick thought he had it in the bag. That Velder had made its choice. He wasn't too far off, but still, there were people who disapproved of Altera and its choices. There were people, who would shed every drop of blood in their body, to make sure that no support was lent to the rebel nation.

Elesis took a deep breath, counting to ten, before releasing it in a slow, steady stream. If she had her way, Velder would remain neutral. She wanted no part in this conflict. Her family, among countless others, had suffered enough. Day and night, she had prayed to the El Lady for a break in the fighting, for Thule and Altera to come to an agreement.

No such luck.

"Vanessa Everblade. What does the Royal Guard say?" asked Edan, nodding at the blue-haired captain. She dipped her head in reply and stood up, laying the palm of her hands on the table.

"After much debate," she began.

Elesis held her breath.

"We believe that we should lend our support to Altera."

Grail, the head of the Alchemist Guild shook his head in disgust, mumbling obscenities in a low undertone. Vanessa turned a baleful gaze in his direction, looking contemptuously at the beastkin. "Of course you would disagree, wouldn't you?" she snipped. "You and Noah were friends once."

Grail took a sip from his steaming coffee mug, baring his teeth in a feral smile. "I know her to be far more honest and morally sound than Duchess Eve of Altera." Add bolted upright, his easy smile replaced by a scalding glare.

"Watch your mouth when speaking about the Queen… _dog_." He spat the last word with such vehemence that Elesis paled. Something dark and demonic stirred in the diplomat's violet eyes, turning him from harmless and arrogant, to dangerous and unstable.

"Why you-" Grail began, but was cut off by a steel gaze from Edan.

"Settle down," the Colonel intoned in a razor-edged voice. The two men shot each other one last scalding look before averting their gazes, sticking their noses up in the air.

Elesis shook her head, running a hand through her long crimson locks.

"Elesis Sieghart," said Edan, startling the redhead. Wide-eyed, she shot a look towards Edan, frozen like a criminal, caught by search lights. Seeing her expression, Edan's lips curved upwards in a rare, wry smile.

"Something the matter, captain?" he asked.

Elesis paused, before shaking her head and laying her hands on her lap. "No."

Add sneered.

A vein in Elesis's neck throbbed. Exerting a great amount of self-control, she was able to ask Edan a question, between clenched teeth, instead of strangling the little ass. "Is there something you want to ask of me?" Edan nodded, folding his arms.

"Indeed, there is something I want to ask of you. Tell me, Captain-" he tilted his head to the side "-who do you think we should support?" Elesis stiffened, clenching a fistful of her black satin skirt in each hand.

"Why do you ask that, Colonel?" she questioned warily.

All eyes turned on her and Edan. It was quiet enough to hear the bustle of the cooks in the kitchen at the opposite side of the building. Elesis began to chew the inside of her cheek.

"You're a skilled and invaluable warrior from an influential family. Your opinion matters to us," the Colonel replied in what seemed to be a reverent tone; however, Elesis could detect the poisoned dart concealed amidst the flowers.

"I'm not in a position to decide," she replied. "Yes, my family is a renowned one, but a poor one. Especially, when compared to the likes of your family, Colonel- the Akeldamas- or even the Everblades."

"Is that really the reason, Sieghart?" drawled Add.

Elesis bristled and slowly turned towards Add, pasting a painful smile on her face. "For being a diplomat, you sure don't display much tact, do you?"

Add snickered, his long hair falling into his face as he cocked his head to the side. "For taking oaths of loyalty towards Velder, you sure are faint of heart and quite selfish, right?"

"Desdemona…" Edan said, with a note of warning imbibed in his voice.

"_What does that mean_?" hissed Elesis.

Emboldened by his success, Add pressed forward, ignoring the flaming look Edan gave him. "Well, Sieghart, you know as well as anyone that Fahrmann, alongside Hamel, is a close ally of Thule… And... "

"Keep pressing it," Elesis snarled, narrowing her eyes, giving the diplomat a bestial smile. Add chuckled, seeing that he had pressed a nerve.

"And it's no secret that you're… hmm… excellent friends with the children of the noble Haan family of Fahrmann… Especially, the eldest… What was his name…? Ah… Aaron?" Add shrugged, a malicious spark of light glinting in his mismatched-fuchsia eyes.

"Close, you bitch. It's Aren…" Elesis snapped, her cheeks flushing.

Add rolled his eyes. "Not to mention, your little brother… Evord… Ekerd… Uh- forget it… He's friends with one of the most promising young mages in Thule… Asha? Isa? Aiha? Whatever that purple-haired girl's name is…"

Elesis stood up, towering over Add, fire flashing in her eyes. "Just what are you implying?"

Add assumed an air of innocence. "Nothing really," he answered. "I'm just worried about the Sieghart family's loyalty. Your family has suffered so much, I'm worried about them. I mean- it would be _tragic_ if a slip-up from either of their heirs costed the family any more than-"

"_You… shut… your… face_!" Elesis roared, lunging forward and grabbing Add by his shirt, yanking him off his chair. The other members gasped and scrambled to the walls. Only Vanessa, Edan, and Grail remained in their seats as the two wrestled.

"Let go of me woman!" he screamed, bringing his fist back and punching her in the face.

Elesis's grip slackened, as her head snapped back. Add struggled to wriggle free, only to have the redhead's knee nail him in between the legs. He howled and began to flail his hands wildly. Her face smeared with blood, and her expression, savage, Elesis blocked each blow and slammed the diplomat's head against the marble floor.

"If you don't keep your mouth shut, I swear I will-"

"Punish both of you if this continues any further," Edan interjected coolly, stepping towards them.

They froze and craned their necks towards Edan. The Colonel sighed and shook his head as he surveyed the two of them: Elesis, her face bloody thanks to her intense nosebleed; Add, his face bruised and bloody, tears welling up in the corners of his eyes.

Narrowing his gaze, Edan put his hands on his hips. "Really, you two, so childish."

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><p><em>"Let's praise the shine of the love<em>

_Let's praise the blessing that is as beautiful as a blooming flower_

_Let's praise our own Sublimation."_

_-EXEC_ _SUBLIMATION/. ~omness chs ciel sos infel_

* * *

><p><strong>Hello! This is Bea, presenting my first Elsword FF! <strong>

**There's not much to say, except that I'm into Elsword (Though I'm not playing), hope that this FF isn't too terrible, and to say, that if you have any questions, feel free to ask! I'll try to answer them as soon as possible, to the best of my ability! **


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